THE BTCruisers - SouthWest 2008: February 2008

Made it to Valley of Fire State Park without any problems. Traffic in and around Las Vegas was getting heavy as race fans were pouring in. We were glad to be getting out. There is a lot of space here so our concern about getting in was without merit.

Speaking of Vegas, there is unbelievable construction going on! The Strip area must have had at least 8 new projects underway. I mean big new casinos! And many others are "adding on". New housing sub-divisions everywhere. And many, many new (but smaller) casinos going up on the fringes of town.

This state park has 22 new RV sites with water & electric. They just opened them up in November. Extremely large, and clean spaces with beautiful views. And the dogs are allowed on the trails here so we plan on doing a lot of walking.

Yesterday, after setting up, we drove to Lake Mead and let the kids swim. What fun! Gracie could smell the water long before we stopped and was going "nuts" in the car with excitement.

I have internet service here but not high speed for picture uploading. Pictures soon.

From Thursday, February 21, 2008

We change our plans so often I forget what we were planning yesterday to do today. This morning we decided to leave Furnace Creek and go to Stovepipe Wells - still here in the National Park. We got one of 15 RV sites here that have full hook-up’s. Got lucky!

So the stay here will be longer than expected. With the electricity we can run the air conditioner and leave the dogs in the motor home while we hike and/or explore.

Weather here today was much better than the forecast - mostly sunny and warm. We got set-up at our new site and drove a 90 mile round trip excursion to Scotty’s Castle. I can’t explain it here, but check out this link if you are interested. It is a main attraction here in the park. http://www.nps.gov/archive/deva/Scottys/Scottys_main.htm

We took the dogs anyway. The thought process was even with the air conditioning available, what if power was lost and they were alone in the motor home with the windows shut and no A/C?

From Friday, February 22, 2008

Today’s mission was to find fresh produce. There are no grocery stores in Death Valley and the best available is gas station convenience store type food. Enough to survive on, but no fresh meat, seafood, produce, fruit, etc. Alcohol, yes! Healthy food, no! So someone told us the town of Beatty, NV had a grocery store. We drove the 45 miles there and found just more of the same crap.

Finding an internet connection was also on the agenda for Beatty. But one was not found. Success in making a cell phone call, however, was achieved. Talked to Brother Tim to check that all was well at home.

The plan was to continue on up Nevada Hwy 95 and re-enter the Park at the North end of the park and see some different attractions. A 120 mile trip. But, after our failure to find groceries we were a little deflated and there was what looked to be a big rain storm heading for our campground, so we headed back. The opportunity to see a flash flood was too strong a draw to stay with the plan. We were tired of so much driving anyway. Back at the campground not a sign of rain. It missed our area!

The sky cleared and a great evening here in Death Valley.

TODAY: Saturday, February, 23, 2008

Paid for a third night here at Stovepipe Wells. It’s really nice to have the water, electric, and sewer hook-up’s, but we are really just camped in a rock and dirt parking lot but with a view to die for. Tomorrow we are going to Las Vegas.

This morning we woke before sunup and drove to the Sand Dunes just 2 miles outside of camp to experience and photograph the sunrise. It was a good 30 minute hike from the road to the dunes and then a strenuous hike up to the top. It was fun and beautiful.

Back to the motor home to check on the kids then we walked across the street for breakfast at the little restaurant here. Our supplies are really low and if we were going to eat we had to go “out”. Didn’t expect much and did not get much!

A nearby canyon was our two hour hike for the afternoon then we were back to enjoy reading in the sun as it came in and out between high clouds.

A little rain fell overnight but nothing to get excited about. I had hoped it would be enough to rinse all the dust off the vehicles, but that didn’t happen.

So tonight finds us at an RV Resort in Vegas. We can only stay here two nights because they are full beginning Tuesday due to the NASCAR race here this week and Las Vegas International Speedway. Ellen did some serious grocery shopping while I tended to Blue Boy. Lots of cleaning and laundry tomorrow then we are moving to a State Park (Valley of Fire) just North East of here very close to Lake Mead on Tuesday. The dogs need a swim!

Don't forget to check out the videos posted on the Home page of the blog!

Lots of pictures will be below capping our travels and experiences for the last week. Not in any particular order.

Ellen on Dunes walk

The two of us on top of highest dune

Kitchen at Scotty's Castle

Scotty's Castle

Natural Bridge hike

Rain coming into Stovepipe Wells but not much got there

Stovepipe Wells CG view

Out of place picture from Dunes hike looking back at Stovepipe Wells and our camp site way in the distance.

Rhyolite Ghost Town "Ghosts"

JPL at the lowest point in the US

JPL at the Furnace Creek Inn

The Natural Bridge

Road from Furnace Creek to Stovepipe Wells. This desert is alive with flowers!

Closeup of the salt floor at Badwater - the lowest point in the US

EJH having a pre-dinner cocktail on the porch of the Furnace Creek Inn - 200 feet below sea level in Death Valley

Furnace Creek Inn

The 20 Mule Team Borax rig. This area used to be populated by borax miners. The mules pulled the two wagons of borax and a trailing tank of water to surrive the 165 miles to the railhead for shipment out

Two panoramic views of Artist's Drive 4.5 mile loop off the paved road.

The salt bed floor of Death Valley

Coyote on the road to Scotty's Castle. He was a sick pup. We came up on him lying in the road. We stopped thinking he was hit by a car, but he got up and walked very, very, slowly towards us and our dogs who were going "nuts" with the windows down. At the Castle we learned a lot of coyotes are sick and/or dying due to too much human contact. He might have been one.

JPl blogging at Lone Pine before heading into Death Valley

Golden Canyon hike

Ellen's picture of view on her drive at Lone Pine

Road to Death Valley

Death Valley view of Cathedral Peak

Mass evacuation of RV's from Federal Land Use Area on Monday, Presidents Day, as seen on our drive into Death Valley. There is a huge sand dune recreational vehicle area just off the road that must have attracted thousands based on the volume of exiting traffic we encountered thankfully going the other way.